Bed for invalids



S. D. HOPKINS, OF STAUNTON, VIRGINIA.

BED FOR INVALIDS.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, S'rEvENs D. HOPKINS, of Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sick-Couches, which I denominate the Mechanical Nurse and Swing and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part thereof, and which represents a perspective view of the entire apparatus.

The nature of my invention consists in ar ranging a frame upon or within which any ordinary bedstead may stand, with a sheet,

1 hammock, or mattress, suspended from a carriage on top of said frame, so that it may be raised up, or rest upon the bed, as the case may be, or removed from over the bed, and used as a swing for gently exercising, or for removing, the patient, from one bed to another, without lifting, as is usually done.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawrepresents the base of the frame, and B, the upright corner posts, and C the top cross braces for firmly supporting the sides of the frame. The top longitudinal pieces D, of the frame may have a groove or track arranged thereon, in, or on which may move and be guided, the rollers or wheels E, on the carriage F. The carriage F, should extend clear across the frame, and be braced and supported by the pieces Gr, and in or near the top of the carriage is arranged a shaft o-r revolving axle H, having levers, arms, or their equivalents, inserted in one of its ends -for the purpose of turning it around. There should also be on the axle H a ratchet I, into which plays a pawl J, attached to the carriage, so as to hold the axle in any desired position. To the axle or roller I-I, is suspended by the straps or cords K, a sheet, hammock or mattress R, upon which the patient lies, and which may be provided with a hole L, for placing the patient over the stool, without lifting or raising him or her from the said hammock, or other equivranged on the opposite end of the carriage l from said pulley, and which crank or shaft, should be provided with a ratchet P, which may be held by a pawl, in a manner well known to mechanicians. This is for the purpose of raising up the head, or upper part of the body of the patient, to give them such inclination as may be deemed essential to their comfort or convenience.

Q, is the bed over or around which the frame may be placed, and may be of the kind in general use, or a lfixture to the frame.

The patient may be gently exercised by raising up the mattress on which he lies, so as to be suspended clear of the bed, and swinging it gently toand fro, and which has been Yfound in practice to be essential to a speedy restoration of health.

The object of my invention is, that the patient shall always lie on the sheet, hammock, or other device, which may rest on the bed, or be suspended fro-m the carriage by which it may be removed from one place to another, or in which the patient may be gently exercised by swinging, and thus be moved from place to place, without lifting from the hammock on which he or she lies.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Suspending the sheet, hammock, or mattress, upon which the patient lies to a carriage which moves on a frame placed over or around a common bed, so that by said carriage the patient may be raised up, or let down upon the bed, or moved from one place to another, or gently exercised, the whole being arranged, combined, and operating substantially in the manner herein described and fully shown.

S. D. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

F. E. SIoKLEs, S. C. DENY. 

